Breath In, Breath Out
by chocolatecheesecakes
Summary: Ron is scared of his first date. Harry knows just what to do… Romione fluff, written for Muggle Studies in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.


**Hello! This was for Muggle Studies in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges and Assignments). I had to write 978 words (yep, exactly, and I managed it) on Hermione Granger.**

**So, welcome to my first Romione story! Plot idea (well, the first date idea) is credited to NeonDomino. I admittedly would never have come up with this on my own.**

Breath In, Breath Out

"Ron, calm down." Harry said, shaking his head at his best friend, who was pacing the floor in front of him. "You're going to wear a hole in the floor if you keep on pacing like this."

Ron stopped, turning to look at Harry despairingly. "But what if it all falls apart!" He cried, throwing his hands up. "What if… what if she goes back to McLaggan and… I'm stuck with Lavender, or Pavarti, or-"

"RON!" Harry bellowed, shocking his best friend out of his angst. "Hermione was never with McLaggan. And if we know her as well as we think we do, she'll love this idea of a first date mate."

"What if I screw it up though?" Ron said, his voice high and his arms still flailing. "Harry, it's _Hermione_. The girl I've fancied since third year! What do I do? What do I… what do I say?"

Harry facepalmed, and walked as far away from his best friend as he could. "Ron, calm down." He said slowly. "Take a deep breath in, and a deep breath out. Listen to me." Ron turned to face him. "Nothing. Bad. Is. Going. To. Happen."

"Nothing. Bad. Is. Going. To. Happen." Ron repeated, taking a deep breath in, and letting it all out slowly, closing his eyes. "It. Will. Be. Fine."

"Good." Harry said, his voice still slow. "Now, go and change your shirt."

Ron looked down at the Muggle dress shirt Harry had forced him into, saw that it was covered in flour (Teddy.), swore, and hurried up the stairs.

* * *

><p>"Well." Hermione said, slightly hestitantly, looking around her at the Muggle resturant and smiling privately to herself. "This is nice."<p>

Ron nodded, taking an extra-large sip of his wine and smiling, although he was feeling vaguely naeseous. "I know." He said, trying to inject a little enthusiasm into his voice. Hermione turned to stare at him instantly, so maybe it was a little _too _much enthusiasm. "Um… I mean." He corrected, lowering his voice. "I know."

Hermione giggled behind her hand, but didn't say anything as a waiter had walked up. "Do Sir and Madam know what they would like to eat?"

"Yes." Hermione said, knowing that Ron would have made up his mind the minute he saw the menu. "I'll have… the _Bouillabaisse_, and…"

She looked at Ron, who started, seemingly having only just realised that he was supposed to tell the waiter what he wanted. "Oh!" He said, before forcing a laugh. "Yes, of course. I'll have the… Rat-a-to-e."

He spelt it out, eyes narrowed at the name on the menu, before he looked up, looking rather pleased with himself. "He means the _Ratatouille." _Hermione corrected for him.

The waiter smiled, marked something down on his notepad and left, Ron exhaling as they were left alone again. '_Breath in, breath out_', he imagined Harry saying. Breath in, breath out.

Hermione took a sizable sip of her own wine to stop her laughter from bursting out. "How's work?" She said pleasantly, suddenly aware that Ron was getting a little too engrossed in his breathing exercises.

"Oh, it's really good!" Ron said, his eyes snapping open. "Of course," He scowled. "Malfoy's there, but generally he leaves me and Harry alone."

Hermione had heard much about Draco Malfoy's controversial decision to join the Aurors, maybe a little much, especially from the _Prophet_. But as his father was a tail's breadth from Azkaban, and his mother's family name was in the mud, Malfoy needed all the help he could get.

So she didn't comment on that, instead tuning back into Ron's explanation of Auror training and all of its delights.

"-And Basic Potions is okay." Ron was ranting. "Harry got an excellent reference from ol' Sluggy, poor sod, and now the examiner thinks he's a wonder kid. But I'm much better than him at Stealth and Tracking."

Hermione nodded, taking another sip of her wine. "How's work for you then Hermione?" Ron said unexpectedly, stopping mid-way through an explanation about Stealth and Tracking, realising that he wasn't shutting up.

"Very good thank you Ron." Hermione admitted, looking out of the window absent-mindedly. "Kingsley thinks that S.P.E.W. could go far, but I have to get a grant first and that might take a while. N.E.W.T.s are as expected though."

Ron nodded back. "I'm glad I get out of them." He grimaced, and Hermione laughed. "Really, Hermione, Auror training is bad enough."

"It's nice to have Ginny with me this year though." Hermione continued. "I mean, Parvati and Padma have gone back to India and Lavender…"

The conversation trailed off into an awkward silence. Ron fiddled with his fork, and Hermione bit her lip. Even though it had been close to six months since the Battle of Hogwarts, it still hurt to talk about any of the fallen. Fred's name hadn't been mentioned since Mrs Weasley almost had a breakdown, and this was the first time that Lavender had come up in conversation.

"Yeah." Ron finished for her, gulping down half of what was left of his wine to steady his nerves.

"Here is your food." They both looked up at the sound of the voice, and the waiter from earlier gave them both their plates. "Enjoy!"

"Thank you!" Hermione called after him, but Ron only managed a muttered 'thanks mate' before the waiter was out of sight.

* * *

><p>Hermione asked for the bill, and turned to face Ron. "You're still scared." She said matter-of-factly, smiling when Ron blanched. "It's been at least two hours Ronald, you still can't <em>honestly <em>be scared of dating me."

"I'm not." Ron said, as they pulled on their coats. "Truly, Hermione, I'm not."

"Okay." Hermione nodded, sneaking a glance at him out of the corner of her eye. "But I'd like to this again."

Ron smiled, and exhaled. _Breath in, breath out…_

_Shut up Harry_, Ron thought.

**978 words. I hate working to an exact number like that.**

**So…**

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**Eleanor xxx**


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